Posted by Eric ShangKuan, Developer Relations Program Supervisor, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Asia Frontier.
Combating Counterfeit Forex in Northern Pakistan with Expertise
Counterfeit forex stays a major situation in smaller and distant cities of Pakistan, such because the Gilgit Baltistan area of Northern Pakistan. Ahsan Aman, a Google Developer Pupil Golf equipment (GDSC) Lead at COMSATS Wah College in Islamabad, grew up in a small city within the area and watched residents and shopkeepers grow to be victims of counterfeiting.
Counterfeiting is outlined because the act of imitating one thing genuine, with the intent to steal, destroy, or substitute the unique, to be used in unlawful transactions, or in any other case with the intent to deceive people into believing that the pretend is of equal or larger worth than the actual factor.
When Ahsan’s mom obtained a pretend 5,000 Rupee observe from a shopkeeper, Ahsan determined there should be a technical strategy to deal with the issue. Ahsan believed a cellular utility may provide a method for abnormal individuals who can’t afford the subtle authentication know-how banks use.
“It was clear that frequent individuals didn’t have the means to confirm or differentiate between actual and faux notes,” says Ahsan. “This made me marvel if immediately’s know-how might be employed to deal with this drawback.”
With the assist from his GDSC mentors primarily based in Islamabad and his native GDSC chapter, Ahsan launched into a venture to construct an android utility that aimed to establish counterfeit forex. Ahsan’s Android cellular utility, 5Hazar, supplies a proof of idea for a counterfeit detection cellular utility that might allow customers to scan forex notes and establish counterfeit cash.
GDSC and Technical Ability Constructing
The appliance makes use of digital picture processing made attainable by Google Teachable Machine. Ahsan additionally repurposed a lens as an reasonably priced {hardware} part–customers can connect the lens to a telephone digicam, open the appliance, and take an image of a financial institution observe. Inside ten seconds, the machine studying algorithm can detect whether or not the observe is actual or a pretend.
A technical strategy results in new alternatives
“I really feel actually proud as a result of not solely do individuals see worth within the software I constructed, however I additionally bought to pitch my concept at a number of hackathons as a Google Developer Pupil Membership lead,” says Ahsan.
“Via these alternatives, I bought invited to work with a number one startup incubation middle, and now I’ve a devoted group working to enhance and scale this concept. I’ve examined the appliance with over 200 prospects and shopkeepers, and I’m very excited to see that the suggestions is optimistic and inspiring.”
Ahsan says he’s having fun with his journey of studying new know-how, constructing a software to deal with an issue in his group, and now scaling it broadly.
The Highway Forward
“I strongly imagine that at the same time as scholar programmers, we’ve got the chance and privilege to enhance the lives of individuals round us with the know-how we construct,” Ahsan says. “I encourage each scholar to seek out and participate in such alternatives the place you possibly can be taught, join, and develop.”
Google Developer Pupil Golf equipment (GDSC) are group teams for school and college college students like Ahsan who’re occupied with Google developer applied sciences.
With over 1500+ chapters in 113 international locations, GDSC goals to empower builders like Ahsan to assist their communities by constructing technical options. For those who’re a scholar and wish to be part of a Google Developer Pupil Membership group, search for a chapter close to you right here, or go to this system web page to be taught extra about beginning one in your space.